Anti-Aging with Creative Ways to Eat Avocados

Avocados are one food I think I could live on. With more than 25 essential nutrients and 60 percent more potassium than bananas, my blood pressure would be taken care of and circulatory diseases like heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke would be kept at bay. Not to mention, I could apply it topically for its vitamins A, B and E to keep my skin looking fresh and rejuvenated.

“Remember, though, everything in moderation,” says Jackie Silver, author of Aging Backwards: Secrets to Staying Young. “A whole avocado has 520 calories and 40 grams of fat. Even though it’s ‘good’ fat, it can still add up to weight gain.”

OK, so maybe I shouldn’t live on avocados, but eating them in moderation can not only help you age well on the inside, but on the outside as well. Here, Silver provides some creative ways to enjoy an avocado to get your anti-aging on:

1. Instead of slathering mayo on your sandwich, why not mash up some avocado instead? One tablespoon of mayonnaise has about 110 calories of pure fat. One-fifth of a medium California avocado has 50 calories, with 35 calories from fat, but remember – it’s the “good” fat.
2. In a food processor, mash one half of an avocado with a half cup of organic cottage cheese, squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice on top, sprinkle with black pepper and use it as a dip with cut vegetables for a protein-rich, tasty, healthy meal or snack.
3. Make an avocado boba drink. Boba drinks usually contain soft, chewy tapioca balls in the bottom of a drink such as tea or coffee, but here’s a creative twist: Using a small melon scoop, make avocado balls and add them into tomato or vegetable juice for a new, healthy spin on boba.
4. Cut up avocado chunks and put them on top of gazpacho, the cold Spanish tomato soup, for a filling snack that’s veggie-licious.
5. Add avocado on top of any omelet for a burst of extra flavor.